Otto Lasch

Otto Lasch
General Otto Lasch, defender of Königsberg; 1948, as a matter of routine, his Russian captors convicted him – after a short show trial – to 25 years labor camp and sent him to Vorkuta Gulag (Arbeitslager Workuta). At the end of October 1955 he finally returend home to his family in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Birth date	25 June 1893(1893-06-25)
Place of birth	Pleß, Upper Silesia, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date	28 April 1971 (aged 77)
Place of death	Bonn-Bad Godesberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
Place of burial	Central Cemetery Bad Godesberg
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Freikorps Preliminary Reichswehr Police Heer
Years of service	1913–1945
Rank	General of the Infantry
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Poland Campaign Operation Barbarossa
Awards	Iron Cross Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Relations	∞ 1919 Lisette Wrobel

Bernhard Otto Lasch (25 June 1893 – 28 April 1971) was a German officer, finally General der Infanterie (General of the Infantry) of the Wehrmacht, commandant of the defense sector of the Königsberg fortress in East Prussia as of 27 January 1945 and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves in WWII.

Otto Lasch was sentenced to death by hanging in absentia by Adolf Hitler on 11 April 1945 for cowardice in the face of the enemy, after ordering the surrender of Königsberg on 9 April 1945. He escaped execution, however, by being taken prisoner by the Soviets. There, he was sentenced in 1948 to 25 years in a labor camp, but returned to West Germany in 1955 as part of a so-called amnesty transport.

Military Career

Oberst Lasch is honored in the Wehrmachtbericht for being the first military leader to enter Riga on 29 June 1941, freeing the occupied city.

• Entered Army Service (27 Mar 1913)
  • after having achieved his Abitur at the Gymnasium in Pleß only days before
• Fahnenjunker In the 2nd Jäger-Battalion or Jäger-Bataillon „Fürst Bismarck“ Nr. 2 (27 Mar 1913-02 Aug 1914)
• Company-Leader in the 2nd Jäger-Battalion (02 Aug 1914-Nov 1914)
• Wounded, in Lazarett (Nov 1914-1915)
• Adjutant with the 2nd Jäger-Replacement-Battalion (1915)
• Transfer to the Fliegertruppe (1915)
  • Observer with the 52nd Flying-Battalion
  • Observer with Flying-Battalion A 280
  • Adjutant of the Commander of Flying of the 19th Artillery
• Grenzschutz Ost (1919)
  • 1 February 1919 Freikorps "Himburg" in Lyck (where his brother Karl Lasch was a city councilor and, since 15 July 1916, First Mayor)
  • 4 March 1919 Company leader in the Voluntary Jäger Battalion No. 2
• Transferred to Police Service (01 Jan 1920)
  • With the Police in Lyck (01 Jan 1920-1924)
  • 20 January with effect from 15 January 1920 officially discharged from the Preliminary Reichswehr
• With the Police Administration in Magdeburg (1924-1927)
• At the Police School in Sensburg (1927-1934)
• Chief Intelligence Officer (Ic) with the State-Police-Inspection Breslau (1934-15 Oct 1935)
• Transferred to Army Service (15 Oct 1935)
• With the Staff of the 45th Infantry-Regiment (15 Oct 1935-01 Oct 1936)
• Commander of III. Battalion of the 3rd Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1936-26 Oct 1939)
• Commander of the 43rd Infantry-Regiment (26 Oct 1939-12 Sep 1942)
• Führer-Reserve (12 Sep 1942-27 Sep 1942)
• Commander of the 217th Infantry-Division (27 Sep 1942-00 Oct 1943)
• Commander of the 349th Infantry-Division (20 Nov 1933-01 Sep 1944)
• Commanding General of LXIV. Army-Corps (01 Sep 1944-01 Nov 1944)
• Commanding General (Kommandierender General) of the replacement troops I. Army-Corps and Commander in Military-District 1 (09 Nov 1949-09 Apr 1945)
• At the same time, Fortress-Commandant Königsberg, East Prussia (27 Jan 1945-09 Apr 1945)
  • The defence of Königsberg under General of Infantry Otto Lasch consisted of four complete divisions and a colourful mixture of battle groups that included Volkssturm, Naval and Police units, Hitler Youth, Technical Emergency units and the fire brigade. They had hardly any ammunition and, apart from the ancient forts, there were no defensive installations. So once more the Volkssturm were set to digging. The Schwalbenberg Labour Battalion from Pillau was also there. The Volkssturm men were conveyed on a goods train and carts to Königsberg. On the 7th April the news spread that the city was now completely surrounded. On the 8th April the Schwalbenberg Labour Battalion was issued ith machine guns, carbines and Panzerfausts. Kroll also received a weapon. Punctually at 2100 hours a breakthrough via Ratshof towards Fischerhausen was to be effected to clear a road for the removal of the civilian population. This attack had been proposed to Gauleiter Koch by the Deputy Gauleiter Ferdinand Großherr, as he could see that there was no longer any future in Königsberg. General Lasch had agreed to this proposal, as did General Müller, the former commander of the 4th Army and present commander of the armed forces in the Samland and Königsberg, who also wanted to get whole units to the west. [...] Gauleiter Koch flew with a small staff out of surrounded Königsberg on the 31st January to Heiligenbeil, and then on to Neutief on the Frische Nehrung lagoon, where a command bunker had already been set up for him. [...] General Müller allowed only the evacuation of the civilian population, for which the Volkssturm would provide flank protection, but Fortress Königsberg was to be defended to the last round.
• In Soviet captivity (09 Apr 1945-08 Oct 1955)

Russian captivity

Like so many others, Otto Lasch would become a POW of the Red Army. On 13 April 1945, thousands of Russian leaflets were dropped over German positions. They were signed by the now-prisoners of war General of the Infantry Lasch, Lieutenant General Hermann Haehnle, Colonel Hugo Eduard Wilhelm Freiherr von Süßkind-Schwendi (1903–1996), Colonel Kaspar August Völker (1894–1966), and others, including Colonel Kurt Erdmann-Degenhardt. The text read (although it cannot be assumed that participation was voluntary):

"To the German officers and soldiers! We have been given the opportunity to tell the German army and the German people the truth about the defeat at Königsberg. The German people and the German army must know the truth. On 6 April, the Russian troops began their attack on Königsberg. Over 100,000 soldiers of all branches were in the besieged city. The fortress was prepared for defense. Food supplies were sufficient for eight weeks. Nevertheless, Königsberg was captured by Russian troops as early as 9 April. We were forced to lay down our arms because further resistance was completely pointless. During these four days, we suffered enormous losses among officers, soldiers, and civilians. The heavy Russian bombing raids and the intense artillery and mortar fire quickly destroyed the fortifications and broke the soldiers' will to resist. Ammunition and food supplies were destroyed by Russian fire. Telephone and radio communications failed. There was no longer any way to care for the many wounded. White flags were raised by the civilian population. The people no longer wanted the fighting to continue. Königsberg fell due to the superiority of the Russian forces. It must be prevented that, like Königsberg, the rest of Germany is destroyed by the criminal actions of its government. The Russian troops have crossed the Oder; the British and American troops have reached the Elbe. The war is lost. Only surrender will prevent further needless sacrifices. Hitler and his regime, who have tormented the German people for so long, should perish, but the German people should live. [signed] Russian captivity, 13 April 1945."

Family

Otto was the son of Oberforstmeister Otto Lasch (d. 22 March 1924 in Dresden), chief forestry master of the Prince of Pleß (Hans Heinrich XV. Fürst von Pless, Graf von Hochberg; 1861–1938), and his wife Klara, née Kaps (d. 24 January 1905).

Marriage

On 22 October 1919 in Lyck, 1st Lieutenant Lasch married his fiancée Lisette Wrobel, daughter of the deceased merchant and city councilor Wrobel (d. 24 September 1918) in Lyck. They would have two daughters:

• Iris Erika (b. 3 October 1920 in Lyck; d. 16 July 2018 in Bonn); ∞ Hans Burkhard Freiherr Treusch von Buttlar-Brandenfels (b. 17 July 1897 at Venedien), Lord of Venedien, Mohrungen District, East Prussia (it was his 2nd marriage)
• Margit (b. 31 August 1922 in Lyck); ∞ 1957 Senior Government Official in the Federal Ministry of the Interior Wilhelm von Wersebe zu Kassebruch (b. 12 August 1914)

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Promotions

General der Infanterie Otto Lasch returns home and arrives at Lager Friedland (de), October 1955

• 27 March 1913 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
• 11 July 1913 Fahnenjunker-Oberjäger (Officer Candidate with Corporal/NCO/Junior Sergeant rank)
• 17 February 1914 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 7 August 1914 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) without Patent
  • later received Patent from 19 December 1912
• 22 March 1918 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Police

• 1 January 1920 Polizei-Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant of the Police)
• 20 July 1921 Polizei-Hauptmann (Captain of the Police)
  • according to an alternative source on 13 July 1921 with effect from 1 April 1921
• 6 November 1933 Major der Landespolizei (Major of the State Police) with effect from 1 January 1934

Wehrmacht

• 15 October 1935 Major with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 July 1934 (55)
• 18 January 1937 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 January 1937 (47)
• 30 November 1939 Oberst (Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 December 1939 (10)
• 15 July 1942 Generalmajor (Major General) with effect and RDA from 1 August 1942 (12)
• 20 April 1943 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) with effect and RDA from 1 April 1943 (10c)
• 15 November 1944 General der Infanterie (General othe Infantry) with effect and RDA from 9 November 1944 (6)

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class on 5 October 1914
  • 1st Class on 2 July 1916
• Prussian Observer's Badge 1914 (Abzeichen für Beobachtungsoffiziere aus Flugzeugen) on 23 February 1916
• Honour Goblet for the Victor in Aerial Combat on 21 February 1917
• Wound Badge (1918) in Black on 12 August 1918
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th to 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 2 October 1936
  • 1st Class on 27 March 1938
• Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class om 14 September 1939
  • 1st Class on 24 October 1939
• Three references by name in the Wehrmacht report (Namentliche Nennung im Wehrmachtbericht): 1 July 1941, 2 July 1942 and 12 April 1945
• Certificate of Recognition of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army for Outstanding Achievements on the Battlefield on 3 July 1941 as Oberst
• Wound Badge (1939) in Silver on 10 October 1941
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver on 9 July 1942
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal on 14 August 1942
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 20 July 1941 as Colonel and Commander of the Infanterie-Regiment 43
  • 578th Oak Leaves on 10 September 1944 Lieutenant General and Commander of the 349. Infanterie-Division

Works

• So fiel Königsberg. Kampf und Untergang von Ostpreußens Hauptstadt, Gräfe und Unzer Verlag, München 1958
  • new editions from Motorbuch Verlag, among them 1959, 4th Edition 1991 and 1994
• Zuckerbrot und Peitsche, Ilmgau Verlag Pfaffenhoefen, Ilm 1965

Further reading

• Franz Thomas: Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945, Band 1: A–K (in German), Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück 1998, ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6

Sources

• German Federal Archives: BArch PERS 6/251 and PERS 6/300107